Automobile number-displaying device.



H. COOGAN.

AUTOMOBILE NUMBER DISPLAYING DEVICE.

' APPLICATION FILED MAR.15,1913. 1,119,809.

M I m I w m w m n 1 s m m a My, d M m H u m n H P H. OOOGAN. AUTOMOBILE NUMBBI; DISPLAYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FKLBD MAR.15, 1913. l, l 1 9,809. Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- I Q H Coa an wi/tucooeo N K @444 5 HUBERT COOGA N, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMOBILE N UMBER-DISPLAYING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 15, 1913. Serial No. 754,649.

To all 1177mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUBERT CooGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Number-Displaying Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to automobile number displaying devices and one of the principal objects of the same is to provide reliable and efficient means for displaying the number of an automobile in either daylight or during the night.

Another object of the invention is to provide a number displaying device which will display the number in daylight and in which the numbers will be readily discernible atnight, means being provided for readily changing and adjusting the numbers for different automobiles.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a number display device having a fabric curtain or band connected to rods adjustable in the frame of the displaying device.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a number displaying device made in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view; Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. .1; F ig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing the manner of mounting the rods upon designates the back of which the fabric number band is secured; Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the spring latch for holding the rod in place.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 the casing for containing the displaying device and this portion of the casing may be made of metal with a connected end 2 also made of metal. A partition 3 extends across the casing and a plate 4 forms the other end of the casing, said plate being secured between flanges 5 at the back and metal flanges 6 at the front. The metal flanges 6 are formed integral with an interior holding plate 7 and an exterior face plate 8. Mounted between the plates 7 and 8 is a glass bulls eye 9 which may be of any desired color. The bottom 10 of the casing and the top 11 thereof may be formed of suitable metal and secured to the other metal parts in any suitable manner.

A glass door plate 12 is secured in a metal binding plate 13 at its edges and this door is hinged at 14 to the top 11 of the casing while at the bottom, it is provided with a suitable lock 15.

Near the top and bottom of the casing adjacent to the door are two metal rods 16, said metal rods each being mounted at one end in a metal bearing 17 secured to the partition 3 and said rods extending through the partition. The end of the rod 16 bears against a plate 18 secured to the partition 3 and the bearing portion 17 is provided with a tubular boss in which the rod is mounted. At the o posite ends of each of the rods 16 a tubular caring 19 is secured to the end 2 of the casing on the inside thereof and the rod 16 may be extended out through the opening in said end 2 when placing the rods in the bearings. A cloth number band or ribbon 20 is secured at its edges to the rods 16 and after the rods have been placed in position in the bearings 17 and 19 a spring stop 21 pivoted at 22 to the end 2 of the casing is swung down into the dotted line positioa shown in Fig. 6 for preventing endwise movement of the rods 16. A finger-hold 22 is provided on the stop 21 and a stop pin 23 prevents the stop from dropping beyond the shaft 16. The metal frame for holding the bulls eye in place is secured to the plate 4 at the end of the casing which may be held in place by a suitable latch 4*. Electric light bulbs a and b are secured to the back 1 of the casing and these may be connected by :41

conductors leading to a button in easy reach of the driver of the automobile. These fair ric bands may be quickly prepared and the opposite edges may be doubled over and stitched to provide a tubular portion for the rod 16 to extend through and when the rods are to be adjusted in the casing one end of the rod may be extended through the opening in the end 2 until the opposite end can be adjusted in the bearing 17, the rods then being pushed against the plate 18 and the band 20 properly straightened out and adjusted, after which the spring latch 21 is thrown down to hold the rod against endwise movement.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that my number displaymg device is simple in construction and that the casing can be made of any suitable metal; that the bulls eye 9 will serve the purpose of a tail light for the automobile; and that the band containing the number of the automobile can be quickly made and adjusted and can be readily seen in the day and will be brightly displayed at night upon lighting the electric bulbs.

I Claim:

1. A number displaying device for auto mobiles comprising a casing, a glass door hinged to the casing, a lamp within the easing, a fabric band adjacent said glass door provided with characters to indicate the number of the automobile. said band being mounted on rods and said rods being supported in bearings on the casing, said rods being movable endwise through said bearings and the casing being provided with a spring latch for each rod "for holding the rods against endwisc movement after adjustment.

2. An automobile number displaying device comprising a metal casing having a glass door, a pair of rods mounted in the casing in rear of the door at the top and bottom thereof, a fabric number band on Said rods, a lamp mounted in the rear of said band for showing the number of the automobile at night, said rods being movable endivise through the casing and means for holding said rods against endwise movement after adjustment comprising a latch pivoted to said casing adjacent one terminal of each of said rolls, pins carried by said casing adjacent said latches adapted to limit the movement of said latches in one direction and a finger piece secured to the free terminal of each of said latches.

1\ number displaying device comprising a rectangular easing having a glass door, a translucent number hand back of said door within the casing, a lamp mounted within the casing in the rear of said band, a pair of spaced rods supporting said band and mounted within said casing, said rods adapted for endwise movement, means for holding said rods against endwise movement in the casing after adjustment pivoted to said easing, means for limiting the movement of said last named means in one direction comprising pins carried by said casing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of tvvo witnesses.

HUBERT COOGAX.

\Vitnesses:

A. M. Enos, Sornn: C. COOGAN. 

